Ladies' College

Coordinates: 49°27′25″N 2°32′56″W / 49.457°N 2.549°W / 49.457; -2.549

Ladies' College is a private single sex secondary school in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands. Originally catering solely for girls, since 1999 lessons in the sixth form have been shared with the school's boys' counterpart Elizabeth College; the girls and boys are given a small window of time between lessons to walk to the respective school.

As an independent school, the majority of pupils are fee-paying; however the States of Guernsey awards scholarships annually on the basis of eleven plus results. Students of Melrose, the primary school section of Ladies' College, are not permitted to take the eleven plus, and therefore must be fee-paying students if they are to attend the college.

The admissions department has recently installed a new system whereby children from States schools can also apply.

The attached primary school is called Melrose.

History

The Ladies' College was founded in 1872 to provide an academic education based on Christian principles for girls in Guernsey. An early example of the pioneering movement in women’s education, it drew much of its inspiration from Cheltenham Ladies' College. The College values its links with the past and previous traditions such as that of wearing red carnations on Speech Day - a custom that dates from 1904.

The College rapidly outgrew its first home and, for 85 years, occupied buildings in the Grange, Saint Peter Port, which now house the Island's Education Department offices. From 1907 onwards a number of places have been reserved each year for state-funded pupils and demand for places at the College has continued to rise.

In 1949, the Island's Government, the States of Deliberation made Melrose House available for the Infant and Junior classes in order to create more space at the College for senior pupils. In 1962, the Ladies' College was re-constituted as a grant-aided school. The old school buildings were handed over to the Education Council and the States built a new school for the Senior College in the grounds of Melrose House and took responsibility for the future capital development of the Ladies' College. Since 1962, the College has operated as an autonomous grant-aided school under the supervision of its own Board of Governors and the Education Council.

Houses

There are four school houses. Brock (after Sir Isaac Brock), Carey, Durand and de Sausmarez, commemorating the names of families who have been benefactors to the College and distinguished in their service to the Island. Until 1930, there were only three houses, Brock, Carey and De Sausmarez. In 1931, the school said that there were too many people to fit into three houses so they created a new house called Durand.

From the beginning of Year 3 in the Junior Department, all girls are members of a House and daughters of former Ladies' College pupils are normally placed in the same House as their mothers were. Leadership in the Houses comes largely from the senior girls who are elected to the offices of House Captain, Secretary and Team Manager. The Houses are responsible for raising money for charity, organising team sports and other House competitions throughout the year. House events can be: music, photography, netball, hockey, gym, tennis and athletics, and new competitions are added annually. House points are accumulated or lost by individual members of each House and the House Trophy, awarded at the end of the academic year, is a tribute to the efforts that all the girls in the House have made according to their talents and abilities.

Each House has an emblem; a shell for Brock, a swan for Carey, an eagle for de Sausmarez and a lion with a crown for Durand. In addition, the Houses are identified by four colours; red for Brock, yellow for Carey, blue for de Sausmarez and green for Durand.

Admissions

In Year 7, the College admits up to 72 pupils. Approximately one third are from Melrose, one third are Special Place Holders, selected by means of the 11+ for a States-funded place, and one third are additional fee-payers.

Curriculum

From Year 7 to Year 9 all girls follow the National Curriculum at Key Stage 3 and, in addition, are introduced to Latin, German and Spanish. A weekly programme of Personal, Social and Health Education, and from Year 9, Careers Guidance completes the curriculum. In Years 10 and 11 nearly all girls study ten GCSEs. Science is taught as three separate subjects and is compulsory, as are English, English Literature, Mathematics, French and from 2008, ICT. There is a wide choice of optional subjects.

It competes in the Guernsey Eisteddfod, musically and dramatically, individually and in groups.

See also

• List of schools in Guernsey

References

• "Ladies' College Website". Retrieved 2008-10-07.